The internet has exploded over Mike Pence’s decision to not dine, alone, with a woman who is not his wife. One woman wrote a perspective piece for the Washington Post saying, “Pence’s personal decision to not dine alone with female staffers was never a hindrance to my ability to do my job well, and never kept me from reaping the rewards of my work.” On the other side, writers have been calling the policy discriminatory. One quote, however, describes the situation perfectly. In a New Yorker article, Jia Tolentino wrote that “no successful woman could ever abide by the same rule.”

And she’s right. As a writer for the school newspaper, I have gotten many meals alone with men who are not my significant other. If I was to enact Pence’s policy, I wouldn’t have been able to take certain stories. I would have to filter the work I took to include only News and Feature pieces with female subjects. I would have to interview only female students to get perspectives on campus issues. This would both limit the stories I can cover and give my articles biased views.

If I enacted this rule, I would also be unable to serve as an RA. Although I oversee two female-only houses, I have a third house that is predominantly male. Oftentimes, I eat dinner with my residents to get to know them or help them with things they’re going through. While dinner isn’t the only means of communicating with residents, I’m sure Pence’s rule would forbid one-on-one interactions in someone’s bedroom as well. This would inhibit my ability to do my job and inevitably prevent me from moving up and getting promotions.

If this rule could impact me as a college student, I imagine it must be the same for professional women as well. Many fields are still dominated by men and to keep up with their male peers, women have to eat lunch with their male colleagues occasionally.

Mike Pence is only able to follow this rule because the vast majority of his colleagues are male. This privilege allows him to discriminate who goes to his lunch meetings without fear because it will not affect his career. Women can't do the same, and they shouldn't have to. It's possible to eat a meal with someone without being interested in them romantically. Trust me, I've done it.

SEE ALSO: To Vice President Pence: I Respect Your Respect For Your Wife